Rising Above
by Kerigan
Summary: During the winter break, Yami hopes to convince a special someone to stay with him in Japan. YYxY Mild yaoi and fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Rising Above**

By: Keri

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Chapter One

The coffee shop was inviting, with its deep brown wooden chairs and golden hue lights. The dark forest green was a perfect accent against the ivory and caramel pin stripe wallpaper. People buzzed around in the small store like bees in a hive, welcoming the homey sensation over the frozen world outside. As the bus jolted to a stop, Yami clutched the seat in front of him. His neighboring rider was a bundle of jackets, scarves, and mittens. He couldn't even identify the sex of the person chilling beside him by how much cotton and wool type materials engulfed them.

"Excuse me," he said after clearing his throat, "This is my stop." He grinned as the mass of clothes squished themselves to the seat without being able to fully clear the way. With mercy, Yami jumped over the remnants of the barricade and gracefully headed to the back exit doors. Stepping off lightly, he noticed the bus-waiting benches were thoroughly packed. The masses looked almost like penguins, the way they huddled for warmth in the biting cold. Yami smirked at the thought before pulling the hood of his jacket up over his tri-colored mess of hair. Whether he tried to conceal his golden bangs or not, they always manage to escape the hood and fall into his face.

His nose was frozen by the time he walked across the wet street to the coffee shop he had been eyeing. As he entered, a departing customer held the door open for him. "Thank you," he said, gazing passed the bangs to the helper. A man in a suit was talking on his phone, but he grinned back at him before departing. Yami looked around and noticed a lot of men and women in suits, buying their coffee, shifting through papers, and eyeing their clocks nervously. Before entering the café any farther, Yami caught his reflection in a small mirror at the entrance. As he pulled his hood back, he lightly brushed the bangs away from his face for the millionth time. He brushed off whatever lint and snow droplets he noticed on the black jacket and grey skinny jeans. His converse, well they were converse, he didn't have to touch those up. He was waiting for someone important at this coffee shop, so he tried his hardest to dress casual but smooth – if that made sense.

"Order up!" One of the baristas shouted through the mass. Yami looked up and checked out the line. It was pretty long. He wondered if it would be rude to get into the line before his friend had arrived, so he could save a place. After a few seconds, Yami shrugged it off – he was a rebel, why should he care? In fact, why was he so nervous? His friend had known him for years, they even lived together at one point, what does it matter if he is in line before they get here or not?

Yami gently face palmed himself. If it weren't for the damn butterflies in his stomach, he'd probably be on his game. Truth is, sleep hadn't been kind to him for not only the past night but for the last _week._ Ever since he found out that there was a month long winter break in this apparent form of out-of-the-country school called 'college', he has been restless. Yami sneakily glanced over at the watch the person was wearing ahead of him. Ten more minutes, he just had to wait a few more minutes and he'll be content. Briefly he considered the possibility of his companion getting lost, but there was no way, this was their usual spot.

Minutes crawled by, and Yami spent most of it exchanging glances between the menu and the door across the room. He would catch his impatient fingers drumming a solo on the counter and would stop himself as the woman standing beside him gave him death glares. He made it to the cashier in eight minutes, and was caught off guard by the, "Hello welcome to CoffeeCoffeeCafe, how may I help you this morning?"

"Erm," Yami stumbled, but then collected himself, "Yes, can I have a Turkish Coffee, no sugar and a small White Chocolate Latte with a shot of raspberry syrup?"

The girl beside the counter grinned at him, her blond hair was tucked neatly into her visor, "So opposites do attract?"

As Yami fished money out of his wallet, he looked up in confusion, "Huh?"

Another girl behind the counter giggled and the cashier shook her head, "Oh it's nothing. Your total will be $7.80."

"Here is a $10," a young man suddenly said, cutting in front of Yami, "You can keep the change ma'am."

The girl looked from the handsome young man to Yami before smiling and ringing up their total, "Thank you, have a great day you two."

Yami stared at the newcomer with shock, not being used to surprises.

Yugi smiled back at him, "Are you just going to stand there blocking the line or are you going to thank me for the coffee?"

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=] Just an intro to a story I had to write before going back to my Anatomy book.

To those who have favored me as an author or to those who have reviewed, read, or bookmarked my stories – thank you very much. After such a long hiatus, it was refreshing and heartwarming to see my inbox still getting updates.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

By: Kerigan

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh…yeah pretend that was on the last chapter too._

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Despite the crowded cafe, all Yami could focus on was Yugi. They were sitting on a small round wooden table, close to the window in the case it snowed. Their coffee steamed in front of them, and while one talked the other would sip on their beverage. Accidentally, Yami took a drink of Yugi's super sweet coffee and twitched. Yugi giggled and Yami smirked, how he had missed these days. Despite Yami's casual yet slightly punk outfit, Yugi wore a navy blue trench coat with a white button down shirt, creme scarf, and raggedy blue denim jeans. Yugi's briefcase, which appeared gigantic next to him since he was so small, sat beside the table on the floor. He had taken a taxi to the café from the airport since traffic would have been horrible with the bus route Yami would have had to take.

Yugi chatted excitedly about his adventures in America, where his college was located. With hand motions and facial expressions, he extravagantly talked about teachers, friends, parties, and late night study sessions. His campus was apparently as huge as it was beautiful, causing him to ride his bike to class every day.

His positive experiences made Yami smile. When Yugi first went off to college, Yami had ulcers for months. It was odd not being there for his other half, not being able to see him or protect him. For years he was the shield and the sword for his partner, defending him against his enemies, prevailing when his other couldn't. When Yugi left, he had suddenly come to realize that he had no purpose anymore. Grandpa had put him in charge of the game shop to give him something to do and his friends came over often but everything felt so _wrong._

Fortunately, even if Yugi was across the world, he still instinctively knew how the other was doing. Whether Yugi was stressing out over tests or was having the time of his life, Yami knew that Yugi understood that he was only a phone call away. Often did he look forward to calls from his friend, which he would get at least once a week. Now that Yugi's voice was clear and he could see the face that was speaking to him, he highly doubted a phone call would ever be satisfying again.

"So, after my third test in Biology, I realized that maybe this is the place for me. I love the memorization and the people in the class are really nice too. Everyone is just so focused; it's hard not to catch on to the material. I think being a doctor or a pharmacist would be really cool - you know?" Yugi took a sip of his coffee before continuing, "Okay, so enough about me, what has been going on with you?"

Yami was watching Yugi with his cheek resting in his hand, savoring everything that was happening around him, "Nothing much," he grinned, "How was that after finals party?"

"It was amazing!" Yugi nearly shouted, starting his tangent on his experiences again. Yami silently laughed at his friend's eagerness to talk. He hadn't seen him this chatty since...well...ever. Sure, Yugi has always been a hyper bunch of sugar and kittens and rainbows, but the way he glowed with happiness and excitement was rather new. Yugi really loved where he was at, and Yami's heart sank a little.

It was difficult at first, adapting to an empty house. With grandpa gone on expeditions and Yugi off at college, the small home they had behind the game store quickly became unnecessarily huge. The store itself was always perfectly stocked, cleaned, and thoroughly inspected since Yami had nothing else better to do. When the customer's were scarce and the store was perfect, all he could manage to think of was new beats by thrumming his fingers as he sat behind the register. He wasn't much of a television person, since growing up in ancient Egypt and suddenly being brought to modern times often leaves a man a little fuzzy on the historic technological and historical advancements of Japan. Tea suggested a hobby, but he has yet to come up with any. He didn't need a hobby, what he needed was a purpose again.

Yami took another drink of his bitter caffeine as Yugi began to describe the drinking games he learned and what kind of mixed drinks he liked. Apparently there were more alcoholic beverages than one can possibly imagine. Yami, being a fan of the greatness of liquor, mentally took notes on how to make these weird concoctions called "bull blaster", "jager bomb", and "five star general". He wondered why college kids find it necessary to name their beverages with such violent names. Isn't drinking supposed to be relaxing and fun?

"Okay, so I'm officially done talking," Yugi sighed, relaxing in his chair, and drinking the remainder of his drink. Yami waited, just to make sure Yugi meant what he said, before sitting up.

"Sounds like you have had a lot of fun. College must be great!" he grinned, trying to think of something to say after such a long and exciting line up of stories, "Are you excited to be home for a whole month?"

"Yeah!" Yugi's smile shone, "I've missed everyone so much! I can't wait to see the gang again, and sleep in my own bed!"

Yami downed his coffee, leaving the lose grounds at the bottom of the cup. He looked at his cell phone and noticed the time, "Wow! We've been here for a while. The next bus should be coming soon, want to head home?"

The younger of the two practically leapt out of his seat, "Home?!" he shouted, "That would be amazing! I was on that plane for what seemed like forever! Does the store look any different?"

Yami casually stood up and grabbed the suitcase's handle, fortunately for him it was a roller suitcase, "Yes, I fixed it up quite a bit."

"Oh, Yami, I can get that." Yugi said, grabbing at the handle. Yami grabbed Yugi's hand with his free one and held it firm.

"Don't be ridiculous," his smirk widened as he gently led them to the door, not letting go of his companion's hand.

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Another chapter - What?! D= New record for meee!

Hope you guys like the fluff. I feel there was a lot of information in this chapter so I hope it reads to others well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**By: Kerigan**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yugioh, also, this is a yaoi....I forgot to mention it in the summary. Yes, this is about Yugi and Yami being a couple. *le gasp* I'm sorry if anyone reading this is offended or disappointed in this fact. For those of you who aren't - or knew it from the very beginning - enjoy. =]

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"I should have thought of traffic." Yami mumbled, gazing over Yugi to look out the window. They had been on the bus for a good forty minutes, and they didn't live too far away. Yami was an impatient person, he couldn't sit still for very long and sitting at the cafe was all the sitting he had in him for the day. Yugi glanced from the outside view of cars upon cars and watched Yami's drumming fingers. Yami had always had a knack for being restless and his fingers always betrayed his dignified posture. If it weren't for his fiddling fingers Yami would look as calm and resilient as ever. Yugi placed his hand on the musically inclined digits, lightly squeezing them, and then taking his hand back.

"Calm down, I'm sure the traffic will die down soon. What if it is a car accident?"

Yami frowned; leave it to his partner to think of human suffering because of traffic. He took in a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He hadn't even realized he was doing that damn drumming again, a habit that has slowly become more frequent. The two of them were sharing what was meant to be a two-seater with another person, causing them to squeeze together. Yami, being as protective as he is, would not let the stranger sit next to Yugi, so therefore Yugi got the window seat. The luggage was crammed underneath their feet, giving them even less room. Yami sat on his jacket as well as Yugi's to make the ride more comfortable, since he was the one sitting on the plastic edges of the seats. The stranger not enjoying the situation either resorted to burying their nose in their newspaper until their stop came. The crowd was not what bothered the eldest of the two, it was the time wasted on this vehicle. He was almost positive they could have walked the distance in the time it will take them to get to the game shop.

Yugi glanced at his friend again before biting back a giggle and looking back to the roads. It was nice to be so close to Yami again. He could feel his heat from their forced clothes to clothes contact. Underneath the hoodie, his friend wore his basic black undershirt and the millennium necklace that tied them together. The first time his friends saw his own in America, they were taken aback. Sure it was major "bling", but it was his most treasured possession. He had almost been burned alive, not wanting to leave his sacred treasure behind. Without the item, he would no longer have Yami, and life would just not be worth living anymore. As he thought about it, his fingers absently grabbed the identical item that lay on his chest, over his white shirt.

"You know," Yugi smiled towards his partner as the bus began moving again, "us being forced to sit together on this bus isn't so bad."

"Either way, whether we are on the bus or not, we'd be together at this point in time."

"True, but we probably wouldn't be cuddling."

Yami gave his partner a look, "You call this cuddling?"

Yugi stretched his arm over Yami and rested his head on the other's broad shoulders. The skin of his neighbor was smooth and soft, making the boney pillow comfortable, "Yup."

Despite the wanting of this for a very long long time, Yami's heart sank for the second time that day. Casually he lifted his arm and wrapped it over Yugi's shoulders so that his hand grazed the other's face and dropped his head into a mass of soft, lavender scented hair.

_Is it better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all?_

College was temporary (he knew this because Yugi constantly reminded him on their daily phone conversations) but after a few months without physical presence drains a man of optimism. Yes, college was temporary, but was America? What if after college Yugi didn't want to come back?

Yami had to stay in Japan to care for the game shop. Sure, it sounds like a trivial excuse, but when Grandpa had told Yugi he couldn't go to America because their business would fail, Yami couldn't stand back and watch his partner's dreams fade away. Besides, at the time, Yami didn't have anything to sacrifice. So what if he had stayed in Japan? That was where he wanted to be.

He had also never felt loss before. Sure, he was sucked away from his kingdom in Eygpt, but it was a lonely place – he had no one to miss. When Yugi left, he was certain a few months would fly by and he would be able to keep everything exactly the way it was. He didn't comprehend that a piece of his heart would fly away too, nor the stresses of worry and jealousy.

Well, the last part was a lie – Yami was never a jealous person. Whether it was his King's trait of pride, arrogance, or a combination of both, Yami knew he was the only one for Yugi. Also, judging from the warm body pressed against his, he guessed his little friend felt the same.

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PS: Sorry for the late-ness, school and work has me running around in circles. I hope you guys are liking the story. =] This is a short chapter but I think it's fluffy enough to hold ya'll over till next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Rising Above**

By: Kerigan

**Chapter Four**

**Author's Note:** To celebrate my new laptop, I'll be writing a new chapter. =] I'm going to add some intenseness in here, so for those who are not a yaoi fan – please do not read further. It will still be T rated, sorry all you kiddies. This chapter is not proofread for I'm far too tired to do so. I'll be correcting my errors in the morning, hopefully I didn't mess up too much. . Anyway, here is chapter four - enjoy.

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When nails raked Yami's back, it drove him wild. The sound of heavy breathing and soft moans definitely came in second when it came to turning the older man on. Yugi was the first person to teach him the powerfulness of being a tease. He remembered at the beginning of their relationship, all his partner had to do was stretch up his arms high in the air and arch his back. Whether he be doing it fully clothed or on his bed, it was always irresistable. Everytime Yami saw those lean arms pulled tight he wanted to grab them and hold on to his partner's mouth with his own.

For Yugi, Yami knew it was when he walked around in his tight jeans right after a shower. In the mornings, he had to take a shower before Yugi awoke in order to make it to his daily shift at the gameshop on time. However, if he was fortunate enough to not out smart his partner, he was usually attacked when he brushed his teeth. First the small soft hands would wrap around his chest, then slowly slide down his musclar abdomen. He never quite understood how Yugi became so skilled with unbuttoning clothes so fast.

He remembers the smell of Yugi's flowery scent, whether it be fuscia, lavander, or freschia. Home was the word that came to mind when he smelled the clean cotton smell of sheets and Yugi's light but sweet scent. They were perfect for each other.

The skin of the man usually beneath him was soft and creamy. The texture begged to not only be kissed, but devoured. His partner's softness could not be matched.

"Yami."

"Hn?" Slowly the images of his partner squirming beneath his dimmed to darkness, had he fallen asleep?

A nudge to his shoulder brought him up right. Blinking back the sunlight, Yami used his free arm to brush the sleep out of his eyes, "Did I fall asleep?"

Yugi giggled and stood up, "Come on, this is our stop."

"Mh? Oh, yeah, right…" Casually the eldest stood up and grabbed the suitcase beneath them. Holding it over his head to safetly get it out of the loaded bus, he caught Yugi staring at the finely etched muscles underneath his eygptian colored skin. Yami smirked as he exited the bus, the person they had been sitting next to had already left the bus.

When they were finally on the concrete sidewalk, coincidentally right beside the game shop, Yami stretched out his back. The ride on the bus was a stiff one. If it hadn't been for the comfortable warmth of his partner, he probably would never have fallen asleep on such a packed and restless contraption. The cold and wet weather hit Yami's skin forcefully. As he shivered and rubbed his arms, Yugi handed him his hoodie back. His partner had already slipped on his blue trench coat and was paciently waiting for Yami to open the store.

"Oh!" Yami exclaimed, tucking the coat underneath his arm, "The key – right."

As they unlocked the game shop door, stepped inside, and re-locked the door, Yugi gave out a big sigh of relief, "You have no idea how glad I am to see this place! It looks practically brand new! How long did it take you to fix this place up like this?!"

The shop was small and wedged between a deli and a phone store. At the farthest wall there was a door that led to the Mouto residence. In America, people found it fascinating that Yugi lived behind a game shop. However, it was fairly common for people in such crowded cities to live and work in the same building. The walls were painted a pastel blue with glass cases that lined all the walls except for the front window. Three big rectangular glass cases held thousands of cards, decks, and accessories in the back beside the door. The entire place was decorated with duel monster posters, Yugi's trophies, and eygptian items Yami liked to sell. The floor was a wooden floor that was once white carpet.

"Wow," Yugi was lit up like a new lightbulb, "This place looks incredible."

Yami had a smug look on his face as he carried the luggage to the back room, leaving Yugi to check out the new merchandise and decorations. The house itself was also very neat and tidy. When you first enter the door you have a small staircase of about fifteen steps to the left, against the wall. The stairwell led to a tiny hallway with the bathroom at the very end, Yami and Yugi's bedroom on the left, and a wall covered with archelogical photos on the right. To the right of the stairs and the door was their living room that had a single couch, a glass coffee table, and a semi old fashion television placed against the wall. Behind the living room was the kitchen and the dining table.

Yami took the suitcase to their room before heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. Yugi had migrated from the game room to the house. As he made sure everything was still intact, he ran his fingers over the dustless table tops.

"Yami, I love what you have done with the place – really, but do you ever leave the house?"

Yami was sitting on the counter drinking his glass of water. The ice clinked at the bottom of the glass, "No, why?"

Yugi gave him a rather horrified look, "You mean you never leave? Ever?!"

"Don't be silly, of course I leave the house sometimes. I have to go grocery shopping and I work in the game shop." Yami shrugged, placing his glass in the sink.

"But Yami, you got to go out and have fun. Look at this place! Nothing is out of place or messy, this isn't normal."

Yami thought for a moment before answering, "Yugi, I was just kidding. I cleaned house because I knew you were flying in. I go out all the time."

Yugi put his hands on his hips and glared at his partner, "Don't you dare lie to me. I know you better than that."

The other jumped off the counter and swaggered over to his partner. He wanted to kiss him, but he couldn't bring himself too. He had been gone for so long, he wasn't sure if kissing was appropriate. Sure, the got to cuddle on the bus, but kissing was way different. With his strong hands on Yugi's hips, he gazed down at softening inidgo eyes. Chickening out, he turned away from temptation and headed towards the bathroom.

"Call Tea, she wanted to talk to you when you got home," He said before he was completely up the stairs, "Her number is written beside the phone in case you forgot."

Yugi frowned, he was really hoping Yami would plant a good kiss on his lips but all he got was stood up. He crossed his arms as Yami told him to call Tea, of course he hadn't forgotten her number, he had the same cell phone as before. With a sigh, he tried to piece together Yami's anxiousness and frusteration he had been seeing. First the beating fingers and now the 'almost kiss but not really kiss'? Usually he couldn't get Yami off of him. He hoped he hadn't been gone for too long.

With a sigh, he picked up the house phone off its reciever and dialed Tea's number. As the hollow bell rung for caller waiting, Yugi took one glace across the room then back up the stairs. Something was wrong, but Yami would have told him if he was feeling bad.

Maybe a night out would do him well. He wonder if Tea was up for clubbing, was that too out of character for the old Yugi he had left behind when he went to America? Hopefully his friends would love the new him, because he didn't feel like himself at all since he left. America opened a bunch of new and exciting paths for his future as well as brought up his confidence. With Yami in the other room, he felt that he was unstoppable from anything, and he really enjoyed the feeling. It was comforting to be strong for once.

"Hello, Gardner residence."

"Tea? Hey, it's Yugi, how have you been?!"

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Till the next chapter! =]


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Warning: I don't necessarily know the age limit for reading about drinking but this chapter is very liquor heavy and there is some drug usage. It is not excessive but I'll warn you guys nonetheless.

*Also – Japan does not have a Last Call so you can drink in Japanese 24/7 if you find a bar opened that late.*

**Chapter Five**

Feeling the thrumming rhythm of blaring techno deep within him, Yami could feel his uneasiness grow as he followed Yugi into the night club. They had arrived early to avoid the line, but the entrance was still very crowded. Two bouncers were joking with each other at the entrance, as if their appearances weren't at all intimidating. Yugi squeezed Yami's hand as they pushed through the crowd towards the doors. Neon blue and pink lights invitingly flickered in streaks on the panes of the heavy doors, and as they sneaked on by the walls ahead were just as trippy. Black walls were streamed with blue, pink, and lime green streaks as the room opened to a large dance hall. A bar of an icy theme was placed along all the walls besides the farthest. The very back wall was a DJ with a strip stage for those who needed to take off their clothes to dance. Even with night young, two girls had stationed themselves next to one of the poles closest to the DJ. Yami wrinkled his knows as he looked at the fuzzy pom pom shoes, fishnet stockings, and lingerie clothes. Now he understood why Yugi was so vehement in finding their old clothes from Duelist Kingdom.

Yugi pulled on his arm and Yami caught his big eyes. He was trying to tell him something.

"WHAT?" Yami yelled, getting closer.

Yugi smiled and got close to his ear, "Tea said her and Joey were at the bar on the side. Let's go meet them!"

Sighing, the elder boy let his boyfriend pull him through the throng of half naked people. One man had goggles on with skull and cross bone lenses. The leather straps were detailed with bronze clockwork pieces. 'How interesting….I kind of like that,' Yami thought before the man with the accessory was swallowed in the growing crowd.

He hadn't been out in such an exciting environment before. Even Yugi, who had been a fan of inviting his friends over for movies and games, had never shown signs of enjoying such a scene before. In fact, with all the Michael Buble and Neyo CD's he assumed Yugi was more of a soft spoken music lover. Now don't get him wrong, Yami loved all types of music, rock especially. When Yugi showed him alternative and rock his mind was blown. He had always been a fan of orchestra and instrument enjoying the skillful music of the strings, but the guitar and heavy bass really excited him.

Suddenly someone jumped on him and he suddenly snapped to attention. Tea's skinny arms wrapped around him strongly and even through the music he could hear her say, "YAMI! I missed you so much! How have you been?"

He grinned as she pulled away, "Hey, what are you talking about? I spoke to you yesterday."

"Yeah! Over the _phone_! That doesn't count!" she huffed and Yami noticed her flat ironed hair had bright pink highlights in it. Glitter dusted her eyes and high cheek bones making her shimmer in the twisting baby blue lights. She looked gorgeous.

He scratched the back of his head and smiled his dashing smile, "I'm sorry, I've been too busy at the game shop. You should stop by; I added an extra spot for tournaments."

She grinned and Yugi was pulled into a squeeze so that they both were facing him, "Now that Yugi is back in town you have no excuses! Oh my God, this club is so awesome! I didn't think I'd ever be able to go! I can't believe you love raves Yugi!"

"Neither can I actually." Yami's smile dropping to a half smirk, wondering for a split second how much America changed him. Joey came from behind the two with Tristan already sampling the bar's merchandise.

"YUG!" they both shouted, enjoying the sight of their long lost friend, "Man we're so glad you could make it! Sorry the weather still sucks, it's going to be snowing all week!"

Yugi laughed, "No it's alright, I missed you guys!"

Yami casually sat on a stool at the bar close to the reunion so he could be far enough to be a part of it but not close enough to converse. Everyone was so happy to see each other, and he felt his uneasiness slowly fade away. In that brief moment, despite the odd seizure like dancing of half naked people and the crazy harmonics of a digital voice, Yami felt completely normal.

"Thirsty fellow Vampire?" a female voice purred at him and he turned to a lolita bartender. She was fairly pretty with her white make up and rosy red lips. She looked friendly despite the gothic exterior and Yami suddenly felt playful. Putting on a lady killer grin, he leaned forward just a bit.

"Possibly, what would you suggest?"

She gave his smirk right back, and placed her arm along the smooth glass bar top, "Looking for something strong, hm? I got just the thing."

Turning around in a fluid spin, a glass shimmered suddenly in her hand. With a twist of a few bottles, and a splash of another, she turned back with a blood red drink on the rocks. She looked at him with playful eyes, and as he went to reach for it, she pulled it back, putting a cherry on top. He grinned at her theatrics, gave her a ten, and told her to keep the change.

Taking a swig of the concoction he noted the strong cheap liquor, possibly vodka, mixed with the tang of orange and cranberry. The lack of sweetness surprised him and he turned back to the bartender who had disappeared to the other end to tend more customers. He hated sweet drinks and the fact that his drink was a bit bitter was a pleasant surprise.

"Yeah! Yami's getting his party on!" Tristan yelled, another beer in his hand. He casually slipped an arm around him in a masculine bear hug and Yami had to take caution not to spill his drink. Joey was suddenly at his side as well, "Man, this place is weird. Why did we come here again?"

Joey knocked Tristan lightly on the head, "Yo, don't be a downer. It's for Yug and Tea. Besides – it ain't like we paid for anything but drinks."

"Yeah – I'm glad they're having fun." Tristan said, "Who wants a shot?" Before either Joey or Yami answered Tristan swaggered off to the bar. Yami chuckled and turned to Joey.

"So, how have you been? How is your sister?" he asked, casually taking another deep drink.

Joey grinned, "Aw man, we're doin' good! She's all studyin to be a pharmacist, helpin people like her you know?" Yami nodded and he kept his idle chat up.

Yugi danced with Tea on the dance floor, slinking to the rhythms of the digital beats, the masses of people around them mixing to and fro. Tea had brought him to the very center, so close to the DJ that their clothes vibrated with the music. It was so easy to get lost in a place like this, it was fantastic. After a tough study session, going out and releasing your mind was always the best cure. He and Tea had taken some shots before they had headed to the dance floor, their sour burn still lingering in his throat. He could feel the alcohol begin to take effect as his blood swam through him faster. The music slowed just a tad and his skin prickled to the feeling of people rubbing up against him. He had always been a lightweight with drinking, making him what his friends would tease 'a cheap date' but he loved it. With only a few shots of strong liquor he was good to go for the rest of the night.

As the rhythm sped up, he let his body move freely to the beat. People around him swirled glow sticks and balls that flashed with multicolored lights around their bodies, creating the illusion of dancing lights. They wore masks, fishnets, bunny ears, black bras, stripped sleeves, and even leather type of clothes.

"Hey there," A hand on his shoulder suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Opening his eyes, which he hadn't even realized he closed, he saw a young man dancing off beat beside him. The boy that was dressed like a punk version of the Mad Hatter from Alice and Wonderland held out a few vials in between his fingers, "20 each."

Yugi shook his head but the guy persisted, "Don't worry, it's not strong. It will help you and your friends relax."

"No, I'm good." Yugi said again, then turned away from him.

Suddenly, the man grabbed his arm and Yugi glared at him, "You know what…" the guy grinned and then slipped a vial in Yugi's leather top, "You're a cutie, this one is free." He tried to give him a kiss but Yugi pushed him away. Taking the vial out of his vest he handed it back. The man just smiled and vanished into the crowd. Frustrated and not even feeling his buzz anymore, Yugi looked around for Tea. He could see her through the crowd, especially since he was small for his size. Carefully he dodged the light sticks and began to make his way through.

"No – no – man, you know what, what do you call a blonde with two brain cells?" Tristian yelled a bit too loudly, laughing between words. He and Joey were definitely toasty, and Yami watched them in amusement. They had relocated to a booth just beside the floor so that the dominatrix waitress could bring the booze to them instead of the other way around. Joey and Tristan sat on the same side bellowing and loving the jokes. Yami sat across from them with one hand cocking his head up with a humored grin on his face. The boys had a bit of rounds but Yami, for some reason or another, had never really been able to get drunk in his life in Modern Times. Whether it be from a magical feat or just genetics of a new body, he'd never know.

"Ummm….oh I KNOW this!" Joey scratched his head.

Tristian gave him a devious look, "Get it? SHE'S PREGNANT!"

"WHA?" They busted into laughter again. Yami snorted, shook his head, and turned to the dancing crowd. Looking at his watch, he noted the time 2:05 am. He grinned at remember how Yugi hated the watch with their leather outfit. Apparently it didn't match, but in Yami's book, he already found his soul mate so who cared if he matched? Yugi, on the other hand, loved being cute, whether deliberate or not. Once he had brought home baby sheep pajamas and their grandfather freaked out.

"Hey, Yami?" Tea emerged from the crowd around them. She had to grab onto the table to escape the throng of people behind her.

Yami looked up and noted the concerned look in her eyes, "Where is Yugi?"

"I can't find him," She frowned and brushed some bangs from her face, "He was right beside me the whole time and now I don't know where he is. I'm sure he is still dancing…"

Yami stood up and gave Tea his seat, "No worry, I'll find him." She looked up at him with a friendly smile but the worry still shown through her eyes. He smiled back, "I'll be right back."

Not hesitating, he walked into the crowd as if he owned the place. The feeling of sweaty people smothered him but a part of him was more focused on his other half. Usually he could sense Yugi clearly, especially in such a close distance. However, as he made his way deeper and deeper into the crowd he realized he couldn't. There wasn't a small tinge of that mental connection anywhere. The rhythm in the air and the screaming fans made it near impossible to concentrate. A sense of light dread began to fill him. The uneasiness from when he entered the club wasn't because of his nervousness, which he had originally thought, but from the alien aura around the place. It was thick with the essence of apathy and anxiety. He was instantly reminded of the shadow realm. Why were they here? This was a bad idea.

Fighting through the crowd his search became much more urgent.

Minutes seem to crawl by as the infinite crowd of people shifted unpleasantly around him. Finally, he saw him. Leaning on the stage, Yugi seemed to be resting after a hard work out. A man in a weird costume was standing beside him, too close for Yami's comfort, speaking to him and massaging his back. "Hey!" Yami snapped, but he couldn't hear him. Feeling a sense of rage, he broke through the crowd and pushed the man away from his partner. Normally he wasn't so violent, but this whole place had him on edge.

"Don't touch me!" The man shouted at Yami and raised a finger to him. Yami smirked at how stupid the man looked in an outfit he now recognized from some movie Yugi showed him years ago about a rabbit and a tea party. Disregarding the fellow, he ducked down to speak to Yugi.

"Yugi," he whispered, knowing Yugi could hear him now that their close proximity has brought back his senses, "are you alright?"

"Help – me – " he was breathing heavily, "I'm hallucinating."

"What?" he asked, but then the Mad Hatter took a swing at Yami. Pushing Yugi out of the way, Yami caught the arm of the attacker and threw him into the stage Yugi had been leaning on. Grabbing him by the collar, Yami pulled the Hatter back and tossed him to the floor in front of him. "How dare you even think of fighting me. I'll…." The anger swelled within him as his pride took over. He was a pharaoh, even in this time, and he would not stand for someone attacking him. The man laid on the floor for a moment, dazed. No one in the crowd seemed to care about the fight; they were too spaced out in their own world to notice.

As Yami stepped towards the guy, Yugi grabbed on to his arm. "Please, I'm scared…"

Taking his partner by the shoulders, Yami used the stage to guide them out of the crowd. Yugi's hand trembled on his and his eyes were screwed shut. Whether it was his anger or the people finally going home, the journey back to the table was much easier. "We need to go." Yami shouted as soon as he was close enough to the table. Whether it was his sharp tone or the expression on his face, his friends shot up.

"What's wrong?" Tea worriedly grabbed at Yugi but Yami instinctively hugged him closer, "Here, I got some water."

"Let's give it to him outside," and with than Yami stormed to the door. Making it through the exit was much easier. He could feel eyes on him, but no one seemed worried. As they walked farther from the club, Yugi's legs began to give, "Here, it's okay," Yami softly spoke then looked around. Finding a bus bench, he half carried his partner to the seat and sat him down. Tea handed Yami the water bottle she had taken from the club as he kneeled in front of Yugi.

"Yugi, love, can you look at me please?" his free hand caressed his face. All the anger in him began to bleed away as his partner's skin paled, "Don't be afraid, I'm here to protect you."

"I….I don't want to. I'm scared." A tear escaped his closed eyes.

Unscrewing the water, he put it up to Yugi's lips, "Here, it's water, please drink this for me." His partner listened, first sipping the water and then gulping it. Once the bottle was done, Yami gave it back to Tea, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was dancing and a weird guy came up to me. He tried to sell me drugs but I told him no. When I tried to find Tea everything started blurring together. I tried ignoring it but then I felt snakes crawling on me and…and…everyone was staring at me…" More tears fell down soft cheeks.

Yami pulled him into a hug, feeling the moisture gather on his neck. With a sigh, he tried to clear out the rest of his anger before he went back to that club and hit the creeper again. Suddenly, Tea noticed something on Yugi's shoulder. Peeling off a large star shaped sticker, she examined it. "You guys weren't wearing these things when you came in…I wonder if the guy put it on Yugi?"

"How did he not notice _that_," Tristian asked as he smacked the star out of Tea's hand. She yelped in surprise and glared at him.

Letting the sticker fall, she said, "Maybe he got laced with something, I heard you could drug someone with stickers but it wouldn't be very strong."

"Really? Stickers? How does that work?" Tristan asked.

Joey shrugged, "I dunno, but anythin' is possible."

Yami sighed, "Should we take him to the hospital?"

"I don't think so…" Tea said thoughtfully, "my health teacher said that sticker drugs were super uncommon because they never worked in clubs and stuff because of the sweat and the amount needed to actually cause someone to trip out. His dose wasn't very strong or he would be doing way worst right now…"

"Yeah but look at him Tea! We should take him to the doctor!"

"Look" she snapped, "I've been in the club scene before. I think he will be fine, especially that Yami is here."

"I'm okay guys…" Yugi suddenly whispered, "I just want to go home…"

"Alright," Yami said, and without asking put Yugi on his back and stood up. Yugi clenched onto his shoulders tightly, snuggling into the comfort of his neck, "Let's call a cab."

Author's Note: Sorry for the rather abrupt ending but I'm in a hurry. I felt this chapter was very run on but I wanted to have the party scene going on. Anyway, have a great day! =D


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